“I was trafficked when I was 14 and spent years trapped in brothels across northern India. I thought escape was impossible. When I was finally rescued, I had no family to return to, no education, and no way to earn a living. TAARA changed that.”
Empowering Survivors.
Preventing Exploitation.
Equipping human trafficking survivors with skills while preventing
youth victimization through education.
Empower. Educate. Prevent.
This is Our Mission.
Through education, job training, and mentorship, we help survivors rebuild their lives and prevent trafficking through our RAISE project.
The RAISE Project is available in multiple languages.
237+
Survivors Empowered
17,400+
Children and teens directly
educated through The RAISE
Project.
Powering Change across
the U.S. and India
60,000+ Lives Impacted.
We create all content including animations in both English and Hindi to reach more children in India and the U.S. Language shouldn’t be a barrier to safety or understanding with more translations coming, we’re expanding our impact.
Our education initiatives have reached over 17,400 children and teens through The RAISE Project, equipping them with knowledge to recognize and avoid trafficking situations. This prevention-focused approach helps build safer communities and creates lasting change.
Our outreach and advocacy efforts have positively impacted over 60,000 lives through direct services, community education, and policy change. Every person reached represents a potential cycle of trafficking broken and a life transformed.
Our Work
Transforming Lives through Action
TAARA is preventing trafficking and empowering survivors through The RAISE Project, Mentorship and Vocational Training and The HEAL Project.
Prevention is key to breaking the cycle of trafficking. Through The RAISE Project we equip the youth with the knowledge and confidence to recognize and stop exploitation. By working with schools, communities, and families, we provide critical awareness that helps protect children and teens from becoming victims.
Education and Prevention:
For children and teens.
Without skills or financial independence, rescued survivors often fall back into exploitation. Our individualized program equips them with both—practical training and economic empowerment—while mentorship helps them build careers and reclaim their futures. We’re not just supporting; we’re rewriting their stories, ensuring they thrive, not just survive.
Survivor Empowermenta:
For sex trafficking survivors.
Free Therapy & Education for Survivors The HEAL Project is a free resource library providing survivors with psycho-educational tools for healing and recovery. Designed to offer guidance, coping strategies, and therapeutic insights, HEAL empowers survivors to navigate trauma and build resilience—on their own terms and their own pace.
The HEAL Project:
Free therapy resource
Empowering Students Across the U.S.
- Anna L. Klein Elementary School
- Janis E. Dismus Middle School
- Northern Highlands High School
- Nutley High School
- Hanover Park High School
- Whippany Park High School
- Esther Sales Academy
The Growing Epidemic of Exploitation
Why TAARA Matters
During Covid-19 when schools shut down, teachers lost the ability to spot abuse, leaving kids vulnerable. Trapped at home, survivors had no escape, and more children were groomed in the shadows. TAARA was born to fight back. The epidemic of exploitation continues to grow, but so does our commitment to stopping it.
The
Raise
Project
The RAISE Project is a research-backed program preventing child exploitation through dynamic tools like animation, flashcards, quizzes, and guided discussions—empowering youth to stay safe and make informed choices.
Inspiring Stories
Rising Not Just Survivin
Healing isn’t about returning to who they were—it’s about becoming who they choose to be.
Vidya
Small Shop Owner, West Bengal
Small Shop Owner, West Bengal
“I was trafficked from my village and forced into a life I never chose. After years of abuse, I was rescued but had no idea how to live in the real world. TAARA gave me that chance.”
Seema
Store Clerk, Calcutta
Store Clerk, Calcutta
“I was trafficked from Central America and lived through horrors I can’t put into words. When I finally got out, I had no idea how to live a normal life. TAARA’s English and job training program helped me build a future.”
Daniel Lopez
Retail Professional, Newark NJ
Retail Professional, Newark NJ
“I was trafficked under false promises of a job in another city. I was trapped in a nightmare for years before I was freed. TAARA helped me heal and, more importantly, rebuild my life.”
Meena Joseph
“I was brought to the U.S. under false promises of work but was forced into trafficking instead. After escaping, I struggled to adjust to life here. TAARA gave me the skills and confidence to start over.”
Maria Rodriguez
Organic Farmer, New Jersey
Organic Farmer, New Jersey
“I was trafficked as a teenager, brought to America and never thought I’d escape. When I finally did, I felt broken. I had no job skills and no hope. TAARA’s cosmetology training gave me something I had never had before—a way to support myself with dignity.”
Felicia
Cosmetologist, Oregon
Cosmetologist, Oregon
“TAARA did such a wonderful job with our 1st–5th grade students! The presentation kept the kids fully engaged and interactive while learning about important topics like personal boundaries, how to say “no,” and internet safety. We’re so glad they came to visit and can’t wait to have them back again!”
Evelyn Collazo
Student Assistance Coordinator, Anna L. Klein School
Student Assistance Coordinator, Anna L. Klein School
“We highly recommend this valuable program on human trafficking. It gave our students crucial info to stay safe, especially online. Thank you, TAARA, for visiting Northern Highlands.”
Northern Highlands
Principal Occhino
Northern Highlands Regional High School
Principal Occhino
Northern Highlands Regional High School
“Space2Grow values TAARA’s support in empowering trafficking survivors in India through impactful, inclusive skilling and deep, collaborative engagement.”
Space2Grow
“CCDT partners with TAARA to build safer schools and communities in Maharashtra. TAARA is visionary, adaptable, and a strong voice for underprivileged children.”
CCDT
Our Partners
The Change Makers
Educate. Empower. Prevent.
Traffickers take everything—hope, choice, and control. We give it back to the survivors. Your support helps survivors build real futures, educate communities to fight trafficking, and stops the cycle before it begins. Stand with us. Change a life.
Be in the Know.
Stay connected with TAARA’s latest updates, impact stories, and events.
